The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for adjusting, if necessary, associated photographic copying and developing machines. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method and apparatus for testing the condition of a photographic copying machine and of the associated developing machine in a photographic laboratory or the like. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method and apparatus for testing the condition of associated photographic copying and developing machines with resort to so-called calibrating samples, e.g., negatives made on color photographic film of the type used by customers and mailed, delivered or shipped to photographic processing laboratories for development and the making of prints on photographic paper or other suitable photosensitive material.
It is already known to evaluate the condition of a photographic copying machine by resorting to prints of calibrating samples. Such evaluation is carried out on the basis of the assumption that the associated developing machine (i.e., the machine which receives exposed photosensitive material from the copying machine) operates satisfactory, i.e., that the temperature of each bath, the composition of each bath, the drying temperature for developed photographic paper and/or any other factors which influence the quality of the developing operation are within the prescribed (acceptable) limits. Such assumption is warranted in many instances; however, the results of the test are quite misleading if the operation of the developing machine deviates from normal. Thus, it can happen that the results of the testing operation indicate a need for adjustment of the copying machine even though the operation of the copying machine is quite satisfactory whereas the developing machine necessitates one or more adjustments. Therefore, such untimely or unnecessary adjustment of the copying machine results in even more pronounced deviation of the quality of prints from the desired or optimum quality.